Saturday, January 14, 2012

Eye Candy: A Faithful Bishop in a Majestic Liturgy

Via Rorate comes this video of a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy (Pontifical Mass) for the Solemn Feast of the Nativity of the Lord. This Liturgy was served by Bishop Milan Šašik, Eparch of Mukachevo, in the Ruthenian-Greek Rite. This was only last week as Dec. 25th on the Julian Calendar (used by many Eastern Rites) coincides with Jan 7th on the Gregorian Calendar.

I present this for two reasons. First there is the liturgical eye candy of a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in Church Slavonic (the liturgical and historical equivalent of Latin in Slavic lands), which is every bit as awe-inspiring and beautiful as a Latin Rite Pontifical High Mass. Second, the Latin Rite con-celebrant is Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, who himself is a blogger and ardent supporter of the Traditional Latin Rite and has called out his brother-bishops for not promoting it, back when he was stationed in the Caribbean.

It is truly meet to bless thee O Theotokos, ever blessed and most pure and the Mother of Our God. More honorable than the Cherubim and by far more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption thou didst bear God the Word. True Theotokos we magnify thee!